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The Indispensable qualities of a Christian leader

The Indispensable qualities of a Christian leader. ALL OF THE GREAT LEADERS HAVE HAD ONE CHARACTERISTIC IN COMMON: IT WAS THE WILLINGNESS TO CONFRONT UNEQUIVOCALLY THE MAJOR ANXIETY OF THEIR PEOPLE IN THEIR TIME. THIS AND NOT MUCH ELSE, IS THE ESSENCE OF LEADERSHIP. JOHN KENNETH GALBRAITH.

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The Indispensable qualities of a Christian leader

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  1. The Indispensable qualities of a Christian leader ALL OF THE GREAT LEADERS HAVE HAD ONE CHARACTERISTIC IN COMMON: IT WAS THE WILLINGNESS TO CONFRONT UNEQUIVOCALLY THE MAJOR ANXIETY OF THEIR PEOPLE IN THEIR TIME. THIS AND NOT MUCH ELSE, IS THE ESSENCE OF LEADERSHIP. JOHN KENNETH GALBRAITH

  2. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • Why this, why now? • Do we know what is means to be a REAL CHRISTIAN LEADER? • Do we know what it means to be a REAL CHRISTIAN man? • TheQuest for Authentic Manhood taught us that the definition of a real man is: • A man who REJECTS PASSIVITY, ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY,LEADS COURAGEOUSLY, andEXPECTS THE GREATER REWARD, GOD’S REWARD. • How do we lead courageously?

  3. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • Ten Lessons About Authentic Christian Leadership – Allan Davis • 1. The effective Biblical Christian leader is an authentic and • consistent follower of Christ, having an obvious relationship with • (and dependence on) God • 2. Leadership worth following demonstrates high standards of • personal integrity • 3. The genuine Christian leader sees ministry as a call, to “service”, • a developed life, not a vocation/position/job/personal possession • 4. Focus is essential if the leader is to know which way to go • 5. Having done well, the genuine Christian leader seeks to excel • 6. Effective Christian leadership functions through team • relationship • 7. Good leaders genuinely like people • 8. Leaders have followers – by definition – and must look after them • 9. Good leaders are made by trials and tests that cleanse and shape • them • 10. Christian leaders of influence know what is “going on”

  4. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • A godly man leaves a ______ for the next generations. • Proverbs 13:22 • Your _________ is what you receive; your _______ is what you pass on. • Jeremiah 32:17-19 • One of the deepest desires in a man’s heart is to know that he is significant. That his life matters. Every day of his life a man touches the lives of others – those he works and worships with, his family and relatives, and his neighbors. Most men place little thought into the impression their touch makes. Yet, does anything matter more if we desire significance? • The impact a man has with his peers and family (children) is the part of him that will truly live beyond him. That’s his most significant legacy. Unfortunately, so many of us simply drift through life – our impact being determined primarily by ingrained habits, apathy, or the consequences of sin that we pass on to others. • Proverbs 27:17 • 1 Timothy 5:8

  5. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • A man of godly character makes specific choices to ensure that his legacy is a healthy and a strong one. He commits himself to taking action, and building relationships, that bring life to those he loves. For that he needs to welcome God’s transformation and the community of men into his life. • Reject Passivity, Accept Responsibility, Lead Courageously?

  6. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • A recent study says 81% of teenagers are depressed about their life. The same study describes the rise in teenage suicide, drug use, pregnancy, gang affiliation, and mental disorders. • Dr. Paul Warren says he has a continual stream of angry young people coming into his office because their fathers will not talk with them, yet their fathers are willing to spend $100 an hour so that someone will. • The kind of parent or role-model we are has a direct impact on the kind of kids we produce. It is our clear responsibility to ______ and ________ for our kids, Acquiring good parenting skills should be a priority for every man and woman. • Duet. 4:9; 6:6-7

  7. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • A recent study of 3,000 families found 6 common qualities of a strong family: • 1. There is a high level of _______________ to the family • 2. They _________ ____________ together. • 3. There is good ________________. • 4. They express ________________ for each other. • 5. There is a _______________ commitment. • 6. They are able to ____________ problems in a crisis. • As often as possible, say (to your children) I _____ you—I am ______ of you. • Proverbs 16:24 • James 2:15-16

  8. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • The Six Life Stages of a man…note the overlap (Pastor Robert Lewis) • 1. The Creational Stage (0-20) • Discover gifts and talents…endowed by God…God creates opportunities for each of us….determine what we are and what we are not. • Acceptance and Development, or confusion and missed opportunity • Proverbs 22:6 • 2. The Phallic Stage (13 – 25) • Sexual Energy: Will it dominate me or will I manage it? Mastery or enslavement? • Thes. 4:3-8 • 3. The Warrior Stage (20 – 40) • The drive to establish oneself…the glory of young men is in their strength; establish oneself using strength and determination, not necessarily wisdom; the pace of life prohibits the realization of wounds.

  9. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • 4. The Wounded Stage (40 – 50) • Powerful re-evaluations…motivated to begin healing wounds largely because we have left the battle field; ask yourself ‘What now?’ and ‘What am I doing and where am I headed?’. We begin coming to terms with what life really is…relaize we must make adjustments and shed some of life’s baggage. • 5. The Mature Stage (50 – 60) • Deeper Meaning…Ruler of your own kingdom and focus becomes on how to release good on others. Focus becomes on strategic maneuvers and mentoring. • 6. The Sage Stage (60+) • Leaving a legacy…off center stage completely, focus is becoming the standard bearer and finishing well. • Proverbs 20:29

  10. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • As a Christian leader, you are called to leave a legacy in the lives of others. • Most of us are so caught up in the “now” that we rarely think about the kind of legacy we will leave behind, whether we move from one job to another (or to retirement), our children move out of home, or our lives come to an end. Far too many leaders assume legacy is something they need to think about later in life. Others do not leave a legacy at all (those who follow are left to pick up the pieces), or their work and vision quickly dissipate and they are quickly forgotten. • Good legacy building starts now.

  11. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • Life “goes on” and all leaders ultimately disappear from the scene). New generations come and old ones go. Great visions and passion (sometimes entire movements) lose their appeal and disappear as a result of inter-generational change. • Psalm 146:3-4 • The fact is, most of what we do will not last; things we cherish will ultimately “perish with the using”. Unless we think seriously about the kind of legacy we are developing it is likely we will leave nothing worth inheriting. • Colossians 2:22

  12. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • Thinking about your legacy will make you a better leader straight away. It will exert a positive impact on the way you plan and lead and how you communicate and the values you hold. • Christian leadership is not “about you”. It is about glorifying and obeying Jesus Christ. Your legacy is not about celebrating your life or achievements, but maximizing the influence you can have in the lives of others so that you know your work for God is not in vain. • 1 Corinthians 15:58

  13. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.” - John 17:6-8 • Jesus understood God’s purpose and timetable in His life. As the time of His departure drew near, He redoubled His efforts to ensure the disciples understood His mission. - Matthew 16:13-21 • “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” - John 20:21

  14. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • Factors that Kill Effective Legacies • Not knowing when to let go, hand over roles and allow others to rise • Lack of direction – if you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you arrive? Why should anyone follow you there? • “Follow me as I follow Christ” - 1 Corinthians 4 - 16; 11 - 1 • Lack of real spiritual authority - Jeremiah 23:21 – 22 • Self-centeredness, self-interest, selfishness - “From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.” – Jeremiah 6:13 • No one wants to follow or be like such a leader • Lack of integrity, lack of moral courage, dishonesty and lack of ethics in leaders – • “I thought, ’These are only the poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God. So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.’ But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds.” -Jeremiah 5:4 -5 • “The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?” - Jeremiah 5:31 • Leadership that seeks more followers, instead of building more leaders

  15. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • Start thinking about your legacy now! • Every day, in every experience & relationship, we plant seeds even if we don’t realize it • - Whois in your sphere of influence? • - Whois affected by your decisions, lifestyle? • - Howwill you earn the right to influence them in the long term? • - Howwill you impart your legacy and know it has “stuck”? • When focusing on the Who…we must start with _____________. • When Focusing on the How…we must start with _____________.

  16. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • Relationships • ‘People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care’ – John Maxwell • What can you do to grow and cultivate good relationships…requires three things (principled approach) • 1. Understand People • As you work with others, recognize that all people, whether leaders or followers, have some things in common: • They like to feel special…sincerely compliment others…often. • They want a better tomorrow…show them hope. • They desire direction…navigate for them. • They are selfish…speak and act to their needs, first. • They get low emotionally…encourage, encourage, encourage. • They desire success…help them win.

  17. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • 2. Love People • ‘Being a leader is more than simply wanting to lead. Leaders have empathy for others and a keen ability to find the best in people….not the worst…by truly caring for others’. – Henry Gruland, CEO Difinitive Computer Services • Einstein said, “Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that man is here for the sake of other men.” • 3. Help People • “The fields of industry are strewn with the bones of those organizations whose leadership became infested with dryrot, who believed in taking instead of giving…who didn’t realize that the only assets that could not be replaced easily were the human ones.” – Le Roy Kurtz, General Motors • People respect a leader who keeps their interests in mind. If your focus is on what you can place into people rather than what you can get out of them, they’ll love and respect you – and these create a great foundation for building relationships.

  18. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • Real Motivation • No matter who you are or what your age may be, if you want to achieve permanent, sustained success, the motivation that will drive you toward that goal must come from within – Paul Meyer • Can one person motivate another?…perhaps for a brief period of time or toward a single goal…real motivation must come from within…other people can help us understand motivation, where it comes from and how to harness it …Hal Urban • The three keys to motivating yourself • Do you have enough _________ to attain it? • Do you have a _______ __________ that you can accomplish it? • Do you have a ________ ____________ _______________ of yourself achieving it?

  19. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • Motivation starts with a sense of desire…When you want something, you become motivated to get it. – Denis Waitley • Desire, not ability separates average performers from those who excel. • A critical component of desire is _____________. • This is what keeps us going when things are the toughest. Instead of giving up, we bounce back and find a way to succeed. • “Total commitment is the common denominator among successful men and women. Its importance cannot be underestimated.” – Dr. Joyce Brothers • Desire is the mother of ________ …it helps us dig deep and give the needed extra effort to see our goals through to completion.

  20. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • Your chances of success in any undertaking can always be measured by your belief in yourself and your cause. – Robert Collier • “If we are always seeking excuses for why we cannot do things, we will never find the reasons for why we can.” – unknown • Is it easier to believe in nothing….yes it is. • The first step to tapping into the potential God has given us is to increase our belief in ourselves at least enough to try, even risk failure. Eventually this effort pays off. It leads to small achievements and builds self confidence. This, in turn, brings more success. - sounds like a habit…as it becomes a habit, constructive thinking takes over and a new cycle is set in motion.

  21. The indispensable QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN LEADER • You must first clearly see a thing in your mind before you can do it – Alex Morrison • 1930s – Joseph Strauss • 1961 – John Kennedy • 1975 – Harvard’s most famous dropout • The more clearly and more often we picture ourselves doing something, the more likely we are to do it…it all starts in the mind, our images are fantastic motivators. • “Peak performers report a highly developed ability to imprint images of successful actions in their mind. They practice, mentally, specific skills and behaviors leading to those outcomes and achievements which they can ultimately attain.” – Dr. James Garfield, author of Peak Performers

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